Match ends, Manchester City 2, Brentford 0.
Pep Guardiola said Manchester City "are not the best in the world" despite them extending their lead at the top of the Premier League to 12 points following victory over Brentford.
Riyad Mahrez scored his eighth goal in seven games as they moved further away from second-placed Liverpool, who play Leicester on Thursday.
But Guardiola said he "does not care" for "stupid things" like praising his side for being better than the rest.
"In so many ways I'm impressed with [the players'] attitude," he added. "They still have the desire in every game to do their jobs.
"Normally they are being complimented, being praised - 'you are the best team in the world' - these stupid things. You can be confused, but we are still normal.
"We are not the best team in the world. The best team in the world is Chelsea, the best team is Palmeiras. We are not the best and I don't care."
European champions Chelsea, who currently sit third in the table, play Brazilian side Palmeiras in the Club World Cup Final on Saturday.
That is a trophy Manchester City have never competed for because they have not won the Champions League in order to qualify.
City were deserved winners against Brentford despite a tough opening. Mads Roerslev's rash tackle on Raheem Sterling then presented Mahrez with the opportunity to score and he sent David Raya the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Kevin de Bruyne doubled City's lead after 69 minutes when he finished off the rebound after Raya had rolled the ball straight to Sterling on the edge of the area, then denied the England man with a save he could not hold.
For Brentford, who did not include new signing Christian Eriksen even though the Dane started training with them this week after signing a six-month contract, the harsh realities of life in the top flight are beginning to become evident.
Thomas Frank's men have now lost six in a row in all competitions for the first time since 2006. Then, Oldham and Cheltenham were among the teams who beat them when they were in League One.
Now it's Liverpool, Manchester United and defending champions City.
Stones slots in at right-back
Guardiola has sprung so many selection surprises down the years, nothing is too much of a shock.
This time it was naming three central defenders and no orthodox right-back, even though England's Kyle Walker was on the bench.
John Stones got the job. While it did seem for a while as though his role was to alternate between a back four and a three-man central defence, depending upon whether City had the ball or not, it became apparent it was more technical than that.
He could be wide on the right touchline, further inside or threatening the box, mirroring what Joao Cancelo was doing on the other side.
Stones also curled crosses in from roughly the same position De Bruyne has earned such praise for doing so.
City's fluidity was so far removed from the old-school English tactics of the past and when another defender, Aymeric Laporte, controlled the ball on his chest and rolled a shot narrowly wide of the far post, it felt like a throwback to 'Total Football' and the Netherlands' 1970s golden era under coach Rinus Michels.
Cancelo flashed a shot over just after half-time and then went on a slalom-like journey though the Brentford box before firing straight at Raya.
It merely underlined the flexible nature of a City side that ended with £100m man Jack Grealish at centre-forward after coming off the bench.
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Stumbling Brentford
Brentford limited City to a single shot in the first half hour, which was testament to their work-rate.
Had Rico Henry taken the clear chance to equalise he was presented with just before the break, the overall outcome might have been different.
But, despite the industry of Frank Onyeka in midfield and speed of Sergi Canos out wide, Brentford lack the class to compete against opposition like this.
Eriksen has that, clearly, and also the belief he can return to something like his old self.
As the defeats mount up and key home games against Crystal Palace and Newcastle loom before the end of the month, the Bees are certainly in need of a lift.
Player of the match
De BruyneKevin De Bruyne
Manchester City
Avg
Squad number17Player nameDe Bruyne
Average rating7.17
Squad number27Player nameJoão Cancelo
Average rating7.01
Squad number8Player nameGündogan
Average rating6.78
Squad number26Player nameMahrez
Average rating6.78
Squad number20Player nameBernardo Silva
Average rating6.65
Squad number47Player nameFoden
Average rating6.57
Squad number31Player nameEderson
Average rating6.51
Squad number3Player nameRúben Dias
Average rating6.47
Squad number5Player nameStones
Average rating6.39
Squad number14Player nameLaporte
Average rating6.34
Squad number16Player nameRodri
Average rating6.30
Squad number10Player nameGrealish
Average rating6.23
Squad number7Player nameSterlingAverage rating5.99
Brentford
Avg
- Squad number6Player nameNørgaardAverage rating
6.30
- Squad number19Player nameMbeumoAverage rating
6.23
- Squad number1Player nameRayaAverage rating
6.22
- Squad number3Player nameHenryAverage rating
6.20
- Squad number5Player namePinnockAverage rating
6.19
- Squad number8Player nameJensenAverage rating
6.19
- Squad number20Player nameAjerAverage rating
6.17
- Squad number18Player nameJanssonAverage rating
6.12
- Squad number10Player nameDasilvaAverage rating
6.12
- Squad number14Player nameGhoddosAverage rating
6.09
- Squad number15Player nameOnyekaAverage rating
6.03
- Squad number7Player nameCanósAverage rating
6.02
- Squad number30Player nameRoerslevAverage rating
5.92
- Squad number11Player nameWissaAverage rating
5.20
Line-ups
Man City
Formation 4-3-3
- 31Ederson
- 5Stones
- 3Rúben Dias
- 14Laporte
- 27Cancelo
- 17De Bruyne
- 16Rodri
- 20Bernardo Silva
- 26MahrezSubstituted forGrealishat 67'minutes
- 47FodenSubstituted forGündoganat 71'minutes
- 7Sterling
Substitutes
- 2Walker
- 6Aké
- 8Gündogan
- 10Grealish
- 11Zinchenko
- 13Steffen
- 25Fernandinho
- 48Delap
- 87McAtee
Brentford
Formation 3-5-2
- 1Raya
- 20Ajer
- 18Jansson
- 5Pinnock
- 30Roerslev
- 15OnyekaSubstituted forWissaat 70'minutes
- 6Nørgaard
- 8Jensen
- 3Henry
- 7CanósSubstituted forDasilvaat 62'minutes
- 14GhoddosSubstituted forMbeumoat 62'minutes
Substitutes
- 10Dasilva
- 11Wissa
- 19Mbeumo
- 26Baptiste
- 29Bech Sørensen
- 36Stevens
- 40Fernández
- 49Lössl
- Referee:
- Darren England
- Attendance:
- 51,658
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home76%
- Away24%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away2
- Corners
- Home9
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away13
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Manchester City 2, Brentford 0.
Post update
Offside, Brentford. Mathias Jensen tries a through ball, but Mads Roerslev is caught offside.
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Foul by Raheem Sterling (Manchester City).
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Ethan Pinnock (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Offside, Brentford. Christian Nørgaard tries a through ball, but Yoane Wissa is caught offside.
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Offside, Brentford. Bryan Mbeumo tries a through ball, but Yoane Wissa is caught offside.
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Foul by Raheem Sterling (Manchester City).
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Bryan Mbeumo (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Offside, Brentford. Ethan Pinnock tries a through ball, but Yoane Wissa is caught offside.
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Foul by Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City).
Post update
Pontus Jansson (Brentford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Hand ball by Ethan Pinnock (Brentford).
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Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Rodri.
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Attempt blocked. Yoane Wissa (Brentford) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Christian Nørgaard.
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Corner, Brentford. Conceded by Rúben Dias.
Post update
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Rico Henry.
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by David Raya.
Post update
Attempt saved. Rodri (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
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Attempt blocked. João Cancelo (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
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Liverpool have won the PL once and challenged for it twice in the last 30+ years and have mostly been irrelevant.
Leicester and Blackburn have also won the PL once.